Samples of some of the items that will be accepted for curbside recycling in Thunderbolt. Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

Richard Burkhart

Thunderbolt Mayor Anna Maria Thomas holds a stack of brochures explaining curbside recycling as Walter Magnuson and Sandy Branam hold one of the new Waste Pro recycling bins that most residents will be receiving. Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

Thunderbolt residents, you might want to hang on to all your torn-apart gift wrapping.

And don't be too hasty to toss out the cardboard boxes that held Christmas gifts, the empty champagne bottles and the cans of cranberry sauce.

The town of Thunderbolt is starting curbside recycling and plans to have its first pickup in January. Town officials awarded a new sanitation contract to Waste Pro, which has begun delivering the 18-gallon containers that will take paper, glass, food cans and plastics - no sorting or separation required. Waste Pro has also promised that if residents have more recyclables than will fit in the container, the overflow can be put in a clear plastic bag that sanitation workers also will take.

For Walter Magnuson and Sandy Branam, it's a payoff that took two years to earn. On Election Day in November 2008, Magnuson stood outside Town Hall to collect signatures supporting recycling.

"The response was overwhelming," he said. "I got over 400 signatures. With a town population of just over 3,000, that's a pretty statistically valid response rate."

Branam, too, lent encouragement and rallied neighbors. Mayor Anna Maria Thomas had been working with Chatham County officials. She wanted recycling, but didn't want it to cost Thunderbolt residents any money.

The solution came late this year. The town of Thunderbolt opted against renewing its contract with CH2M HILL OMI for public works and then chose to bid out its dry trash pickup in a separate contract. The net effect from that and other budget changes is that residents will see their sanitation bills lowered by $3 a month, to $20.60.

"It's a win-win," said Linton Smith, town administrator. "They get a small amount from the recyclables. That helps offset the cost of doing it."

The initial start-up will not include commercial recycling or individual containers in apartment complexes or condos. It also means Magnuson, an apartment resident, won't get to participate in a program he helped start.

He's determined to press on with his work, perhaps to at least get recycling Dumpsters set up in complexes.

"It sounds so corny, but we really are stewards of the environment," Magnuson said. "I just don't believe in wasting stuff."

Thunderbolt recyclingSanitation workers will begin delivering 18-gallon recycling containers today. Pickup will begin in January on every Tuesday.Regular garbage pickup will be on Mondays and Thursdays.Anyone who has questions about recycling is asked to call Waste Pro at 965-0777.